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Thursday, July 18, 2013

11 Tips to Help You Enjoy Taraweeh This Ramadan

Here
are a few practical steps that highlight some ways in which you can get
the most out of your Taraweeh this year, insha’Allah:

For most of us, work, school or just about anything else becomes an
excuse to wriggle us out of attending Taraweeh. The next time an excuse
creeps into your mind, think to yourself – “It’s just once a year”. You
may not get an opportunity to pray Taraweeh next year, so don’t give
yourself excuses!(Sahih Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 32, Number 226) Why pass
up such an opportunity?Remind yourself it’s a once in a year opportunityNarrated
Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying regarding Ramadan, “Whoever
prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and
hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be
forgiven.”

Make sure all your work is taken care of before you head out for
Taraweeh. Plan your day so that homework is finished, emails are typed
out, the dishes are cleaned and the kids are tucked away in bed for you
to be able to stand through Taraweeh without your mind being occupied.
If you cannot finish off certain tasks before Taraweeh then set a time
after it when you will be working on these tasks. Go to the masjid stress-free

In this way, everyone makes it to
Taraweeh without anybody slipping off under the bed covers and dozing
off. If you are able to offer a ride to your friends in the neighborhood
then there is insh’Allah, ajr (reward), for becoming a means for them
to get to the masjid. Also, going along with a group adds to the
enthusiasm! Finally, if you get to the masjid early with a group.Go to the masjid with a group of friends or family

Get to the masjid early
This is important. You leave five minutes before the prayer begins, you
get to the masjid breathless, you’re thirsty now and there’s no place
to stand, you finally find a spot where you are squished between crowds
of people, this spot is hot – disaster during Taraweeh. Do not take a
nap after iftaar, leave for the masjid right away. This will ensure that
you get to the masjid without any puffing or panting and you can get a
comfortable spot. Leave a portion of your daily Quran recitation to
recite during this time.

Have a light iftaar
Yes, we have all been hungry all day and seeing the delicious iftaar
meal on the table makes you never want to stop. However, stocking up on
all of it will do you more harm than good. It’s also against the sunnah!
So go easy on your stomach and eat light. A full belly makes for a very
uncomfortable Taraweeh. You may have a few more bites when you return
from taraweeh if you feel you haven’t eaten enough.

Know what’s being recited
This is by far the most crucial tip for Taraweeh prayers. Often we
begin to feel tired and restless during Taraweeh because we have no clue
about what is being recited! This also takes away from the khushu’ in
one’s prayer. There are long-term and short-term solutions for this.The
short-term solution: Get to know ahead of time what the imam will
recite during Taraweeh the next day. Ask the imam or just predict! That
night, pick up a copy of an English translation of the Quran and read
the word-to-word translation and perhaps some of the commentary on those
ayahs. You’ll feel far more alert during Taraweeh when you’re able to
pick up on some of the meanings of what is being recited.The long-term
solution: Plan ahead of Ramadan. Enroll yourself in online or local
Arabic courses and learn some basic Quranic Arabic. Also, try joining
Tafseer courses to be able to understand the beauty in the meanings of
the Quran. This works far better than reading a mere translation of the
Arabic text – but you need to plan ahead!

Don’t neglect the fardh prayers Make sure in all the hype about Taraweeh, you don’t neglect your fardh (obligatory) prayers!

Often halfway through Ramadan, we begin to feel a ‘dip’ where the
enthusiasm for Taraweeh from the first few days begins to wear away.
Avoid it. You may try new things to keep up the enthusiasm such as going
for Taraweeh along with a friend, forming a with a few friends at the
masjid after prayer etc. But most importantly, remind yourself why
you’re going for Taraweeh each day and renew your intentions.Avoid the ‘dip’halaqa

Water is your friend
Carry a water bottle with you to freshen up in the breaks during the
Taraweeh. To pump up the goodness and rewards, bring a few extras for
others praying in the masjid.

Leave the scowling at home
Sometimes people in the masjid may get on your last nerve. It’s hot and
crowded, kids cry and people push. But keep your smile on. Ramadan is
all about clinging to patience.

Du’a..Du’a..Du’a!
It’s the month of asking for forgiveness and seeking His Bounty. Learn
different du’as that you can recite during the rest periods during
taraweeh.